PANS: The Mystery Illness

In this webinar, I will introduce a relatively unknown disease in children that mimics mental health problems but is a misguided immune reaction to an infection, often a strep throat, mycoplasma, or a viral infection, including COVID-19. PANS, or Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Disease, is not rare; it affects 1 in 200 children (in the US – the numbers are thought to be similar in other developed countries). It is most common in primary-school-aged children.

Dr Leila will discuss what PANS is (an acute change in behaviour in mood after an infection, often causing debilitating anxiety and OCD), how to figure out whether a child suffers from this, and how to treat PANS.  I will share my experience in treating children with this syndrome over many years.